


two's company, three's allowed

by indemnis



Series: neighbours!kihyunghyuk [1]
Category: K-pop, Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Boyfriends, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Neighbors, Other, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-19 15:38:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13126704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indemnis/pseuds/indemnis
Summary: Hyungwon and Kihyun are flirting with each other, like all neighbours do, until a certain Lee Minhyuk moves into the apartment next to them with a peace offering of charred cookies.





	two's company, three's allowed

**Author's Note:**

> Who needs a christmassy kihyunghyuk poly fic? I know I do. Hope you enjoyed this, and merry christmas!

Listen, Hyungwon wouldn’t necessarily say that he and Kihyun _are a thing_ , but it’s pretty obvious that they _have a thing_.

For each other. The hots. Hyungwon doesn’t really know how to classify them and stuff their relationship into a tiny pigeonhole with a name sticker on it, but that pretty much sums up their whole sort-of friendship.

Hyungwon had just moved into the apartment block when he met the black-haired man living next door: 408. He was just in the midst of trying to move a box full of his books (keyword: trying) and his neighbour had been at his own door, slotting his key through the keyhole and taking glances at Hyungwon.

He’d been struggling so hard he almost dropped the box on his feet when black-haired man walked over. He’s shorter than Hyungwon is, and from what he can see atop the box, the man is just a tuft of black hair.

“You look like you need some help.” Are his first words, and his voice is medium-pitched and soft, gentle and soothing. Hyungwon chuckles, a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

“No, no, I got this, it’s okay.”

A laugh that sounds like the ringing of bells. Hyungwon’s barely even seen his face from how humongous his box is, but Neighbour Man has already earned a few brownie points.

“Let me,” he says, and without waiting for Hyungwon to say no, he takes over the box from Hyungwon with a grunt, and while it’s nowhere near effortless, he’s obviously struggling less.

Hyungwon should really consider exercising.

“Thank you so much.”

“It’s okay. Do I just leave it here?” He’s walking into Hyungwon’s new place and hovering in the living room, the box almost larger than his entire frame.

“Yes, yes, it’s fine there, thanks so so much.”

Another grunt, and the box lands on the ground with a thump. Neighbour Man finally stands up straight and turns around to look at Hyungwon. His eyes disappear into crescent moons. Hyungwon feels his heart mangled into pieces from just a single smile, and he returns it.

Neighbour Man is dressed in a Marvel t-shirt and acid washed jeans. “Oops,” he says suddenly, realising that he’s wearing sneakers over Hyungwon’s new floorboards. “Crap, I should have taken off my shoes.”

Hyungwon walks over, flailing his arms. “No, no, it’s okay! Don’t worry about it; all the moving is making this place pretty dirty and messy anyway. It’s all good. Can I get you a drink?”

Neighbour Man blinks, and then chuckles lightly. “You don’t have your fridge in. Or your kitchenware.” He gestures to his bare kitchen, which honestly wasn’t going to be filled up with much anyway. Hyungwon is not really a cooking person.

“Were you going to offer me tap water cupped in your palms?” He jokes, and Hyungwon feels heat running up his neck and on his face. “Ah, right, sorry, I just -- it was just habit, I don’t --”

“It’s okay. If you’re all good here I should get back to mine. I live just next door in 408. My name’s Yoo Kihyun.”

Hyungwon pats his dusty hands on his jeans and extends an arm. “Chae Hyungwon. Nice to meet you. Thanks for your help.”

Kihyun shakes his hand. “Don’t worry about it,” he replies with a playful wink, and Hyungwon finds his breathing growing harsh. Surely this is Fate. God must know how much of a sucker he is for pretty boys, and has decided to plop him into the apartment right next to one.

“Just feel free to buzz me if you need anything, okay?” He says, and offers a last blinding smile before ducking back into his place, leaving Hyungwon more breathless than he already is.

*****

“Hello.”

It’s ¾ of Moving Day and to be honest, Hyungwon is already kind of done. Fortunately, he only has another few lighter boxes of his figurines to carry in and he’s done. Maybe he’ll order pizza tonight as a treat.

He silently laments the fact that his wifi is not installed yet, so dinner tonight is probably going to be him facing an unpainted wall in silence.

He jerks, and turns around to see Kihyun by his doorway. He’s dressed down in a loose basic tee and track pants. “Oh, hello.”

Kihyun smiles, walks in like it’s his own flat. “Just thought I’d check in on you. How you doing?”

Hyungwon’s back is drenched in sweat, and he knew he should have accepted Changkyun’s offer to help him move. But of course Hyungwon completely overestimated his physical capability, and by the time he’d changed his mind, Changkyun had made other plans.

“As you can tell, not great. But it’s progressing,” he states, and spends a few seconds just taking in his surroundings with his hands on his hips. Kihyun laughs, and comes even closer. Soon, he’s right next to him, a bottle of an isotonic drink in his hand.

“This is for you. You look tired.”

Hyungwon just stares at the drink in bewilderment, and Kihyun guffaws. Reaching out to hold Hyungwon’s wrist, he pulls it towards him, and puts the bottle in his hand before letting it go. “For you. Drink.”

Another skipped beat later, Hyungwon returns to himself, and Kihyun is laughing at him with amusement dancing on his lips.

“Thank you. I have you carry my boxes _and_ treat me to drinks? Unacceptable behaviour. Sorry.”

Kihyun shrugs, like it’s not even such a big deal. “Thanks.” Hyungwon says again, holding up the drink before uncapping it, and downing half of it in seconds.

Kihyun looks around his apartment and makes a random comment about how it looks exactly the same as his, just without furniture.

Almost like an afterthought, Kihyun pipes up. “Hey. You don’t look like you have much going on here. Do you want to come over for dinner?”

Hyungwon almost chokes on his drink. Kihyun thumps him on the back repeatedly, laughing.

“Tonight?”

“I mean, it’s okay if you have an appointment, I just --”

Hyungwon beams so hard he feels like his face might split into two. “I would love to.”

And Kihyun returns a smile so bright he can hardly see.

*****

After that it’s random encounters by the lift. Hyungwon knows that Kihyun is a lifestyle blogger of sorts, and he writes for magazines sometimes. He thinks it’s cool, much cooler than Hyungwon’s job as a tutor at a private tuition centre.

Kihyun tells him education is a great occupation, and nurturing young minds sounds lovely, all the while with a genuine smile on his face, and Hyungwon believes him for the first time in his three-year career.

Sometimes Hyungwon asks Kihyun to come over for pizza (because Hyungwon is not a cooking person) when he has a 2-for-1 discount coupon, where they spend half their time watching a movie on Netflix together, the other half talking about random things in their life.

He likes Kihyun. That much is obvious. Even though Kihyun acts like a very different person after they’ve gotten closer, Hyungwon doesn’t think he minds it that much.

“Hyungwon. You’ve moved in for two months now, right?”

“Yes?” Hyungwon counts the date in his head, and thinks it sounds about right. He’s in the kitchen preparing drinks, and Kihyun is sat cross-legged in the living room.

“How do you still have boxes lying around?”

Hyungwon returns to Kihyun and passes him a glass of Coke. He looks at where Kihyun is staring, and indeed, there is a clutter of four boxes sitting in the corner, isolated from the rest of the well-furnished place.

“Well. I’m a busy person.”

Kihyun glares. “So you’re just lazy.”

Hyungwon frowns, but he’s not offended. He and Kihyun have very different ideas of the word ‘neat’, and truth be told, he just really cannot be bothered to unpack. He shrugs. Kihyun scowls, and Hyungwon just finds it interesting, how he gets annoyed by the tiniest things.

“Ugh, you’re impossible.”

Hyungwon sticks out a tongue, and is returned with a slap on his thigh. He screams, and Kihyun scrambles up to run away from Hyungwon chasing him around the tiny apartment.

Even in their bickering, bantering, hitting and chasing, Hyungwon thinks Kihyun is lovely.

Kihyun lingers by his doorway near midnight, stepping into his sneakers as he gets ready to leave and go back to his apartment. Hyungwon is standing dangerously close, and he sees a glint in Kihyun’s eyes.

He can tell Kihyun is taking his own sweet time to wear his shoes, and Hyungwon shifts uneasily. Kihyun’s cheeks are flushed after Hyungwon convinced him to have a bit of soju since they both don’t have to work tomorrow, and his fringe is all messy and plastered over his forehead.

“Tonight was fun,” Kihyun says, staring at his shoes, and Hyungwon agrees mutely. He doesn’t know what to do, the tension between them thick and they’re both waiting for something to happen.

Hyungwon doesn’t allow himself to think it through as he stretches out an arm and pushes Kihyun’s fringe up, away from his eyes.

He sees the surprise in the shorter man’s face, but his fingers are still in his hair, and it probably doesn’t take much to give it a short tug and pull him over for a kiss.

They stay there for what seems to be hours, even if it was probably just a few seconds, Kihyun slightly dazed and Hyungwon completed stunned from what he’s just done.

“Um, uh.” Hyungwon hems and haws, and pulls his hand away from Kihyun’s hair, trying his best to not grimace.

“I think I should go?” Kihyun offers, and Hyungwon is thankful.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay. I’ll -- uh -- I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

Kihyun’s blush seems to intensify. “Yeah. Cool. Okay. See you. Goodnight, Hyungwon.”

“Night, Kihyun.”

And when Hyungwon closes the door behind Kihyun, he spends a good few minutes just berating himself for not kissing him on those pink, thin lips. He thinks Kihyun’s right -- he _is_ impossible. Impossibly stupid.

*****

“You look like a frog.” Kihyun states out of nowhere, and Hyungwon is carrying half of his groceries, trailing behind him like a lackey.

“And you’re a shortie, what’s your point?”

Kihyun pulls a face that Hyungwon doesn’t hesitate to tell him is extremely unflattering, and Kihyun jostles him in the shoulder, waging a petty war of shoulder bumping that should really be inappropriate for two male adults walking out of a lift.

They’ve just turned the corner into their corridor when there is a spread of boxes on the ground in front of them, and Kihyun stops in his tracks, just taking the whole thing in.

“What the --” Hyungwon starts as he almost walks into Kihyun, and mutters something rude before he sees the scene before him. “Oh.”

Kihyun zigzags his way around the boxes and he peers into an open doorway for 406, the apartment right next to Hyungwon’s. If Kihyun had much to complain about Hyungwon’s lack of organisation, he’s properly bursting a vein right now.

The doorway is cluttered with more boxes, different stages of unpacking as random books and gadgets are littered where the shoes are, and Kihyun just frowns deeply at the wreck that is apparently the new neighbour’s house.

“You know, I know you’re a busybody and all, but my arms are breaking, can you just go into your flat now? Or I _will_ drop this tray of eggs right here and I cannot guarantee they’ll survive.” Hyungwon whines, and Kihyun, for fear for the intactness of his eggs, scurries back to 408 and opens the door up.

They miss a head of blonde hair popping out from 406 when they close the door behind them.

*****

Kihyun and Hyungwon don’t talk about the almost-kiss, but if it’s any indication of them being interested in each other, they become more touchy.

Hyungwon doesn’t mind the way their fingers brush against each other’s when he passes him a beverage. Kihyun sometimes falls asleep on Hyungwon’s shoulder when they’re watching a movie that’s a little too bland for Kihyun -- Hyungwon likes indie art films while Kihyun eats up commercial films with fancy computer graphics like a loser.

But they don’t talk about the almost-kiss, and Hyungwon doesn’t try again. He prefers this comfort, prefers this no-pressure friendship they share. Prefers that Kihyun wouldn’t have to think twice about inviting Hyungwon to go grocery shopping with him because “you have a car; spare me from the walk and the lugging shit around”.

He likes Kihyun. He doesn’t want to burden their current friendship with a confession that may or may not blossom. Maybe it’s okay to act domestic around each other, give each other a taste of what they’d be setting themselves up for if either of them does decide to act on their feelings.

But for now, it’s okay, and he’s happy with his company.

*****

Hyungwon is back from a very trying day at work after a parent had questioned him on his professionality and why her daughter still isn’t at the top of her class.

It took all he had in him to bite back a harsh remark about how she’s asking for too much, and that she should be happy that her struggling daughter even passed her last English exam under his tutelage.

But of course it’s about placating a mother that’s acting more unreasonably than her high school daughter, so he’d apologised about twenty times and promised to give the poor girl more assignments.

Hyungwon was driving in traffic the whole way back, wondering if his stellar grades in university was really just for him to get yelled at on a daily basis by parents.

So really, when he finds a plate of what appears to be cookies in front of his door, Hyungwon is pleasantly surprised. It’s covered in plastic wrap, and a post-it with very nice handwriting is on top of it.

Moving his briefcase into his left hand, Hyungwon bends down to pick up the plate. He takes a quick look at Kihyun’s door and realises there’s an exact same one in front of his door, and one in front of the door beside his.

The note reads:

_Hi! I’m your new neighbour who just moved into Apartment 406, please take care of me, and feel free to come borrow things from me at any time! Hope to see you around soon! - Lee Minhyuk_

It puts a smile on Hyungwon’s face, and while the cookies are almost burnt to a solid black, the effort is what counts. (An idea he’d been trying to reinforce to his student’s parent to no avail.)

As he unlocks his door, he places the plate on his kitchen counter and decides to try one. Maybe he should’ve taken a smaller bite, because it just tastes bitter from the charred bits, and he drops it back with the rest.

He pulls out his phone.

To: Kihyun  
Open your door

The reply is instantaneous.

From: Kihyun  
is this one of ur pranks  
bc no

To: Kihyun  
lmao no  
I have better things to do  
Apparently new neighbour with questionable organisational skills has just left us a gift

From: Kihyun  
ooo  
what is it  
i will never say no to free stuff

To: Kihyun  
I guess you’ll find out

He hears the click of Kihyun’s lock a few seconds later, and he rushes to his door and peeks from the slightly ajar door. He snickers as Kihyun picks up the plate in utter confusion, balancing the plate in his left hand before going back into his flat.

From: Kihyun  
what in the world is this stuff  
i kno it’s almost xmas  
but i have been a good kid  
y did i get coal in front of my door?

Hyungwon guffaws, probably loud enough for Kihyun to hear from where he is, and he opts to slink onto his sofa like he’s without a backbone, and replies.

To: Kihyun  
Very funny, Kihyun  
Try it, it tastes better than it looks

The reply takes a few seconds, and then an inhumane yell from next door. Hyungwon holds his stomach as he erupts into deafening laughter.

From: Kihyun  
you’re a piece of shit, u kno that?

To: Kihyun  
Merry Christmas, naughty boy  
Santa hates your guts

From: Kihyun  
go away i hate u  
also what is this  
i could do better than this in my sleep  
is new neighbour trying to poison us  
maybe thats it theyre trying to give us cancer

To: Kihyun  
Okay we get it you’re Masterchef Yoo Kihyun  
Stop being so dramatic  
They’re just being nice

From: Kihyun  
we don’t use the word nice for people who are attempting murder on us, hyungwon  
what did university even teach u

To: Kihyun  
tbh, idek  
How to get yelled at by demanding parents 101, I suppose

From: Kihyun  
oh, bad day?  
sorry to hear that

To: Kihyun  
It’s okay  
What’s new, right?

From: Kihyun  
hey, was just looking up some recipes for gnocchi with mushroom cream sauce  
you wanna come over for dinner?

To: Kihyun  
I don’t even know what gnocchi is but yes  
Thank you MasterChef Yoo Kihyun

From: Kihyun  
bring some cheese over tenks

To: Kihyun  
What kind of MasterChef doesn’t have all his ingredients ready?

From: Kihyun  
the kind that expects his freeloader to bring ingredients bc hes gotta pay for the meal somehow  
and the kind who will take back his offer if the freeloader isnt happy to bring cheese

To: Kihyun  
be there in 20 with the cheddar sir

From: Kihyun  
the recipe says mozzarella

*****

It turns out that Hyungwon doesn’t have any mozzarella at home, and he knows how Kihyun is a stickler for the rules. He would go the slightest bit insane if they chose to use a different kind of cheese from what his recipe suggests.

It sounds crazy, but it’s only because that’s what Kihyun is when it comes to meeting his own standards.

Hyungwon really doesn’t want to change out of his track pants just to go buy some cheese, so he remembers the note on the cookies, and decides that he’ll take up the offer.

Stuffing the charred cookies into a jar, he washes the plate and brings it out with him.

Hyungwon is bare-faced and dressed in his loosest sweater and most comfortable pair of lounge pants. He shuffles out of his house with socks and slips his feet into his slippers. Fashion terrorist or not, it’s comfortable, and no one should have a problem with that.

Remembering his keys, he walks over to the new neighbour’s place, feeling a little surreal now that he’s the one introducing the new resident to the building. That was always his role when hanging out with Kihyun.

He raps on the door with his fist a couple of times. “Coming!” Is the holler from inside, and Hyungwon just stares at the wooden door.

The lock clicks, and he stands back up straight.

The person who welcomes him is a blonde man that looks about his and Kihyun’s age. His eyes are sparkling and wide with enthusiasm, a constant pulse of positive energy around him, quite different from Hyungwon’s sleepy eyes and inclination toward dull, dreary, monochromatic things.

He’s handsome. Surely God must mean it as a joke now, placing two good-looking men beside the one guy who would absolutely die for visuals. (Hyungwon wishes he was joking, but aesthetically pleasing things really do make him happy.)

“Hello!” Even his greeting is bright, and he smiles, a wide grin that looks almost playful. He’s rocking on the balls of his feet, like he has too much energy to spend and he doesn’t know how to use it wisely.

“Um. Hi.” Hyungwon is a little overwhelmed by his brightness, and he doesn’t really know what to say, even if he was the one knocking on his door.

Noting the plate in his hand, the new neighbour seems to jump. “Oh! Did you enjoy the cookies?” He gestures to the kitchenware, at which Hyungwon passes it on. How is he going to be truthful without being rude?

“Um, yeah, they’re alright. A little… burnt?” Hyungwon says, hesitant, and new neighbour’s cheeks turn a slight red. “Ah, I’m sorry, I’m not the best baker around, but I thought I’d try. Maybe I should have bought some store-made ones…”

Hyungwon shakes his head, and then his hands just to make a point. “No, no, it’s okay! I thought it was really nice of you. Thank you. I’ll eat them well.”

And the smile finds itself on his face again, a whole row of his teeth on show. Hyungwon feels his spirits lifted almost immediately, demanding parent forgotten completely.

“I’m Minhyuk, by the way!” He chirps, and Hyungwon shakes his hand, feeling a strange sense of reverse-role deja vu. “I’m Chae Hyungwon. From 407.”

Minhyuk’s eyes light up. “Oh! You’re just next door then! That’s nice! Please take care of me!” He bows, and Hyungwon is at a loss, so he bows back.

“Yes, yes. I was… I didn’t want to be rude on our first meeting, but I was wondering if you had any mozzarella…?”

Minhyuk seems to harness the brightness of a thousand suns in his smile, and Hyungwon has to squint to see him properly. “Mozzarella? Probably, yes! Hang on a sec.”

He walks back into his apartment, and Hyungwon takes a quick peek at the place. It has the exact same layout as his and Kihyun’s flats, but it’s a lot more colourful, and the furniture on display looks like a random combination of separate pieces found in different showrooms.

It’s quirky, bright, and Hyungwon thinks it’s quite Minhyuk, as far as first impressions go.

He scurries back out with a bag of shredded cheese, and offers it to Hyungwon, who takes it gracefully and thanks him again.

“Mozzarella seems like an oddly specific ingredient to borrow.” Minhyuk notes, and Hyungwon rubs at his nape in embarrassment.

“Ah, it’s for cooking. Kihyun -- the guy who lives in 408 -- is making some Italian dish today, and he is kind of obsessive about sticking to the recipe to a T.”

“Oh.” Minhyuk says, the smile still on his face. Hyungwon feels like he might go blind soon. “That’s cool! I bought mozzarella to eat it from the bag, so.”

Hyungwon blinks. He doesn’t know what prompted him to say the next words, but he does. “Wouldn’t it be more affordable to just buy a whole block of it, then?”

Minhyuk looks amused. “And what makes you think I own a cheese shredder?”

“Just bite it off?” Hyungwon offers, and Minhyuk laughs. It’s a lot hoarser and deeper than Kihyun’s, but pleasing all the same.

“I’m bad with cooking, but it doesn’t mean I’m an uncultured swine that eats cheese from the whole block, man.”

Hyungwon nods. “True. After all, only upperclassmen eat cheese as a snack, shredded mozzarella from the bag, no less.”

Minhyuk seems to not take offence, or maybe the sarcasm had gone above the top of his head, because he just laughs. Hyungwon is standing there, not sure what there is to say, and then he says it anyway, because Minhyuk seems like a lot of fun, and today’s one of those days where he could use the extra company.

“Say, do you want to join me and Kihyun for some gnocchi?”

Minhyuk wears a brighter smile at the invitation, and Hyungwon finds the ends of his lips pulling up subconsciously. Maybe Minhyuk just has that effect on people.

“I don’t even know what gnocchi is, but yes.”

*****

Hyungwon had half-expected dinner to be awkward, but Minhyuk and Kihyun are surprisingly hitting it off pretty well.

Other than the black-haired man’s initial displeasure at Hyungwon inviting their new neighbour along without letting him know in advance, and of course Kihyun not being able to hold back his punches when they talked about Minhyuk’s cookies, they get along just fine.

“So, Minhyuk brought the mozzarella. You still didn’t contribute a single thing, you freeloader.” Kihyun says after they’re nursing three glasses of wine. Minhyuk had complimented Kihyun on his exemplary culinary skills, which definitely earned him on his good side.

Minhyuk seems to have something to say. “Hyungwon brought his good looks!” He offers, and Hyungwon feels a flush moving up his face. Minhyuk thinks _he’s_ good-looking? Maybe he hasn’t seen himself enough in the mirror.

Kihyun scoffs at the statement. “No, but who needs that when we’ve got you and me? We could easily edge his visuals out on our own.”

Hyungwon rolls his eyes, and Minhyuk laughs, unsure if in embarrassment or just wanting to be polite.

“Besides,” Kihyun adds as he swirls his drink in his glass, “he looks like a frog.”

Minhyuk’s eyes widen, and he takes a long look at Hyungwon. The brunette burns under his scrutiny, and blood rushes to his cheeks quickly. He shies away from the intense gaze, and Minhyuk does this thing with his eyes where he blinks unevenly.

“Hey! You’re right, he does!”

Hyungwon deadpans. “Thanks, guys.”

That earns him guffaws from both men, and Hyungwon thinks it’s okay to look like a frog if it means he’ll get to hear the combination of their laughter, Kihyun’s high-pitched, sounding like he’s almost out of breath, and Minhyuk’s low, almost like a goofy little bark.

His heart feels full. They seem to meld together pretty well, the list of topics they share non-exhaustive, and Hyungwon feels the most like himself around them.

No more demanding parents, no more professional facade. Just him, Kihyun, and Minhyuk, and he finds home in a place far from home.

*****

Hyungwon would compare them to a spectrum. Of the three of them, Minhyuk is the brightest. Vibrating with positive energy, always moving and talking, capable of bringing the mood up.

Kihyun is in the middle, oftentimes enthusiastic and playing along with Minhyuk’s silly little pranks, other times quick to pull him down from his absolute rowdiness, acting like the sensible adult, but still sufficiently interesting.

Hyungwon feels like a child. He feels himself being pulled along, swaying easily to Minhyuk’s vivacity, but trailing closely behind Kihyun when they’re trying to be a little more serious.

Maybe it’s that his personality is unmarked by any specific traits, but he seems the most dull. And he’s happy with that, glad to take up the role of the silent follower as Minhyuk or Kihyun take the lead.

Minhyuk turns up more and more often at his door, sometimes borrowing a completely random item like a night light. (Who borrows night lights, and why does Hyungwon lend him one that he doesn’t even remember owning?)

Other times it’s without the pretence of borrowing stuff, and he invites himself into Hyungwon’s place, sitting on his sofa, drinking his Coke from his fridge. Hyungwon is okay with that. While he wouldn’t exactly do the same thing to Minhyuk, he really doesn’t mind.

Kihyun doesn’t seem to mind it that much either, because Minhyuk is coming in and out of both their places so often Hyungwon wonders if they should leave him a key under the floor mat.

They have very frequent gatherings because Hyungwon has no friends in Seoul, save for his work colleagues who are a lot older than he is and won’t stop harping about him finding a girlfriend soon. He imagines what they would say if they knew he was as straight as a bow.

Sometimes Kihyun cooks for them, sometimes Minhyuk orders Indian, other times Hyungwon orders Chinese. Kihyun complains a lot about being the only one capable of cooking between the three of them, but Hyungwon knows he enjoys taking care of people, so he lets him whine about it.

He thinks he finds his balance in this spectrum they have. Hyungwon wouldn’t mind keeping them both as friends for as long as he can. His romantic affections for both of them can wait.

For now, he’s contented with the way Minhyuk falls asleep with his head in his lap on his sofa, and how touchy-feely Kihyun is when they’re shoulder-to-shoulder in the kitchen together.

*****

He reads up a lot on polyamory. Apparently it’s not considered weird to like two people at the same time. He isn’t cheating; it’s not like he and Kihyun did anything more than casual flirting, but it didn’t stop him from feeling bad about wanting to plant tiny kisses on Minhyuk’s cheeks.

Initially, when the three of them hung out, he thought that the reason that he was feeling these things for Minhyuk was because of an overflow effect from just how much he likes Kihyun. He slowly realises that he still wants to cup the man’s face and kiss him until he doesn’t remember his name even when it’s just the both of them.

Even more so, when it’s just the both of them.

Instead of feeling like his love is split into two parts and given out proportionately to the both of his friends, Hyungwon find out that it’s more like his love for each of them is doubled when they’re together.

He can’t help it. It just feels strange, much like how he’d doubted his preference for boys at a young age, when he’d been taught all along that he needed to like girls.

It had felt right, but so, so wrong, and for the longest time he had kept it a secret, all the while feeling guilty about doing something different from everyone else.

Hyungwon chooses to keep mum about it this time too, partly because liking more than one person and wanting to be a relationship consisting of more than two parties is frowned upon. It’s also because Hyungwon is afraid, the same way he was afraid of confessing anything to Kihyun for fear of it ruining their friendship, a status quo he couldn’t be more happy with.

*****

“Hey.” Minhyuk starts, and there’s a spark in his eyes that bodes trouble. Hyungwon sighs as he puts down his book, deciding to indulge him just a little.

Realising that he’s somehow attracted Hyungwon’s attention, Minhyuk’s eyes grow brighter, and as much as he hates his silly jokes and ideas, Hyungwon cannot deny that it brings him inexplicable joy to put that amount of sheer happiness on his face.

“What did the Christmas tree say to the pretty Christmas tree working on his nails in the nail salon?” Minhyuk asks, and he hears a snicker from the bedroom. Kihyun. Ugh, why is he in there on his laptop, eavesdropping on this horrible joke, but not having to contribute?

Hyungwon blinks. “Christmas trees don’t have nails. They don’t even have limbs.”

“And you don’t have a sense of humour. Just guess it.”

Hyungwon scowls at the poke, and Minhyuk nudges him in the rib. He knows Minhyuk’s not looking for an attempt, so he throws his arms into the air in defeat. “I give up, what is it?”

The largest beam on Minhyuk’s face. He can hear the silence in the air, not even the annoying clickety-clackety of Kihyun’s keyboard, the man probably waiting for the punchline with bated breath. What a dork.

“Babe, look, missed a toe.”

A deafening guffaw from the room, and Hyungwon is at a loss for words. Minhyuk is showing all of his teeth, and Hyungwon blinks, slightly confused.

“I don’t --”

Minhyuk groans, and rolls his eyes to the back of his skull. His fingers are tapping on the edge of the table as he purses his lips together. “He has a crush on the Christmas tree working in the nail salon who was doing his toenails, and she missed a toe? Missed a toe? Mistletoe? He’s hinting at a kiss?”

Hyungwon frowns, the crease between his eyebrows deepening. Minhyuk inhales deeply. “Oh my god, why are you stupid? So look --”

Hyungwon puts up a hand in front of Minhyuk’s annoyed face. “No. I got the joke the first time. I was just trying to sort out my feelings about it, and the verdict is that I absolutely hate it.”

Minhyuk makes a face at which Hyungwon just laughs. Kihyun is still cackling from the bedroom, making sounds of agony, undoubtedly holding his stomach in pain.

“Kihyun likes it, apparently.” Minhyuk points out, and Hyungwon shrugs.

“I hate his laughter too. It’s pissing me off.”

Minhyuk chuckles at this, and there is a mischievous glint in his eyes. His lips pull up in a cheeky grin, and Hyungwon doesn’t know what to expect, as is always the case with Lee Minhyuk.

“What do you say we go annoy him for laughing so obnoxiously?”

Hyungwon chortles at the suggestion, but he’s already getting out of his seat. “Yeah. Let’s.”

So they run into the bedroom and find Kihyun curled up in a ball on the bed, holding his sides as laughter escapes him in waves. Hyungwon dashes over to put his laptop away (fun is fun, but if Kihyun’s document doesn’t save, he’s going to have his head) as Minhyuk attacks, climbing over Kihyun and tickling his neck.

“Help!” Kihyun screams, hollering at Hyungwon, who instead of assisting him out of the menace that is Lee Minhyuk, opts to tickle his feet, and Kihyun howls, squirming in their grips.

A very intense tickle session that lasts for all of one minute before Kihyun wrenches Minhyuk’s arm behind his back and kicks Hyungwon square in the face, they fall into a pile, breathing heavy.

Sometime during the aftermath, their eyes meet, and they erupt into louder laughter. Hyungwon feels his heart filling up with an emotion he can only place as love, and he wouldn’t trade this moment for the world.

*****

Minhyuk suggests a Christmas party. Hyungwon kindly points out the fact that he and Kihyun have literally no friends except for each other and Minhyuk.

Kihyun kicks him in his shin, but doesn’t deny the allegation.

“You can call your work colleagues! It’ll be fun! Also, isn’t there this guy called Changkyun that you classified into the ‘Acceptable’ pile?

Truth be told, Changkyun was a lot more than acceptable, but it seemed a little biased to put only him in a brand new pile called ‘People I Like’ while the number of people in the ‘Unacceptable’ pile just keeps accumulating. It defeats the purpose of categorisation if it’s just going to be one item in it. Tips from Yoo Kihyun.

“Okay, but Kihyun works from home and doesn’t have colleagues.” Hyungwon notes, and Kihyun scowls, admitting that he does have a friend who he still talks to. If Hyungwon didn’t know better, he would think that Kihyun was only saying that because he wanted to feel more superior than Hyungwon and his one (1) friend.

Minhyuk claps his hands together in delight. “Brilliant! That’s a party settled then!”

Hyungwon blinks. “I didn’t agree to it.”

“But you have friends, and so does Kihyun.”

“Friend. Singular.” Hyungwon corrects, and Kihyun is silent, just looking as the scene before him unfolds. It’ll be rare to see Hyungwon finally winning a verbal battle with Minhyuk. No one wins against Minhyuk.

“Yeah, but I have loads, so it’s okay!” Minhyuk cheers, and Hyungwon knows he’s lost. Kihyun just folds his arms together and sighs. They exchange a look of resignation and shake their heads.

Hyungwon knows why he’s so easy defeated when it comes to Minhyuk. It’s simple; he doesn’t like it when he sulks. Other than the fact that he’s very annoying and passive aggressive when he’s mad, it’s mostly because he doesn’t like to see the usual ball of sunshine curling into himself and away from him.

It hurts him when Minhyuk shuns his every touch, and then he relents in the end anyway. He can’t do anything with Minhyuk. The boy is spoilt, and rightfully so, because Hyungwon would probably trade off his soul just to see him smile.

He doesn’t understand why Kihyun, the ever strong-headed Kihyun with harsh words and a sharp tongue would give in so easily as well. It’s not like he has a soft spot for Minhyuk or anything, if his snappy comebacks whenever Minhyuk says anything ridiculous are anything to go by.

But apparently they’re having a Christmas party at Hyungwon’s (the least amount of furniture aka more space for actual people to be in) and it’s not up for debate. Hyungwon rolls his eyes as he doesn’t vehemently disagree to the proposal, and when Minhyuk clings onto him with a wide smile, he likes to think it’s worth it.

*****

It’s not worth it.

Hyungwon is in a party supplies warehouse that is a good 40 minutes drive away from central Seoul, which leads Hyungwon to think that Minhyuk must have looked up some questionable stores online and finally decided on one that looks like it hasn’t been visited for about 34 years.

Even the store attendant looks surprised at their presence, but thankfully ignores them for the most of their shopping trip.

If the trio end up being murdered in this secluded suburb he doesn’t even remember the name of, it’s all on Lee Minhyuk.

Kihyun seems to have less fear written on his face, though Hyungwon should know by now that Kihyun is a master of masking most emotions, mostly those that compromise his confident and cocky image.

One undeniable thing about this warehouse is the fact that it is absolutely gigantic, even though dust is collecting on a lot of the supplies.

For someone who earns little as a kindergarten teacher, Minhyuk knows how to smash out on the decorations. He pulls into their trolley a bunch of hanging snowflakes, tinsel, wreaths, and a tree that was forcibly put back on the shelves because it would fit neither Hyungwon’s apartment nor his budget.

They settle for a much smaller one because “what would you put the presents under, Hyungwon!” and the brunette is sold for Minhyuk’s pout and puppy eyes.

The items are cheaper than what they would get them for in the city, where everything is jacked up to an impossible price, and urbangoers pay for them willingly anyway. Hyungwon doesn’t tell Minhyuk he’s kind of good at this saving them money thing. He doesn’t really want to encourage his shopping habits.

On the drive back, the three go to a rest stop and eat their fill, and as Kihyun wipes sauce off the side of Minhyuk’s lips, Hyungwon just leans back and observes.

He still doesn’t know what they are, even though he’s sort of aware of Kihyun’s possible feelings towards him. It confuses him a bit now that Minhyuk’s in the mix, but it doesn’t feel awkward at all. A smile graces his lips as he looks at them bicker after the sweet moment, and he decides he would really like for things to stay the way they are.

*****

“Hey.” Kihyun is sat by his kitchen counter, elbows on the marble as his chin is propped up in his hands. “What Christmas present are you getting Minhyuk?”

Hyungwon turns around to look at Kihyun, who looks ethereal under his fluorescent kitchen light, and he sighs at how good he looks. Kihyun frowns in confusion. “Why? Out of ideas and coming to ask me for help?”

Kihyun scowls. “No? I wanted to buy Minhyuk a game he’s been wanting to get for ages, but the price is a little… up there. If you haven’t already thought of what to get him, I was wondering if you wanted to share.”

Hyungwon pours the soft drink into his glass filled with ice, and Kihyun shakes his head when Hyungwon holds it up as an offer. “Oh.” Hyungwon says as he opens the fridge back up and puts the bottle back in. “Yeah, I’m fine with that. Haven’t really thought about what to get him, maybe a watch.”

Kihyun purses his lips. “Yeah, but he can’t really use that every day. He’s not really allowed accessories at work, remember?”

Hyungwon seems to recollect them having this conversation, and he answers with a simple ‘oh’ again. Surely he must have paid attention to that somehow. He feels a little embarrassed for suggesting a watch now, but Kihyun doesn’t seem to care much about it.

“Is it that shooter game he won’t shut up about?” Hyungwon asks, almost like he’s redeeming himself for not knowing Minhyuk enough, and thank goodness, it’s the correct answer.

“Yeah, that one. I mean, I could probably buy just that, but then I have to buy your present as well, and you know --”

“Yeah. I know. We can go halfsies. I really do want to get him something else though. Just something small. Like a t-shirt he would like.”

Kihyun smiles, a small tiny one that makes Hyungwon’s heart race. Yoo Kihyun is truly something. Despite all the time they’ve spent together, his infatuation over the black-haired man hasn’t seemed to fade a single bit. His heart still thumps furiously at his every smirk, his every laugh, his every nose scrunch. Hyungwon didn’t know he was capable of so much love until his heart expanded enough to store both Kihyun and Minhyuk in it.

“That’s cool. Do you want me to buy it, and then you can just transfer me the cash?”

“Please. That’ll be great.”

And Hyungwon makes him a hot chocolate while they sit by the kitchen counter before Minhyuk barges in with his Christmas decor, dropping them in an inelegant mountain by his doorway in preparation for the big day.

*****

He’s managed to invite Changkyun, who by some miraculous chance, agreed to come. He didn’t know he was also in Changkyun’s ‘People I Like’ pile, because the younger man had said something along the lines of “you know I’d say yes as long as you ask, hyung”.

If Changkyun didn’t already have a girlfriend, he’d think he was hitting on him. Maybe he just really likes Hyungwon as a hyung, who the heck knows.

If Hyungwon knew any better, maybe he’d score more than just one friend.

Kihyun’s friend by the name of Jooheon had also agreed to come, which is more surprising to Kihyun than it is to Hyungwon and Minhyuk.

“So. You’re coming?” Hyungwon hears Kihyun talking over the phone.

“You’re really coming? It’s on Christmas Eve, you know that right?” Kihyun’s voice is a little flustered.

“Like, really?” He sounds incredulous.

“No, I was just asking. So you’re coming, right? You’re bringing a friend?” Kihyun is proper screeching at the end of his statement, and Hyungwon can’t help but laugh. Surely he must have more faith than this in his one friend.

As it turns out, Jooheon is coming, and will be bringing a friend along. Hyungwon is almost envious of Kihyun having invited two people to attend the party, but he’d rather stick with one of Changkyun than ten of his obnoxious colleagues.

Less is more. A concept unknown to Minhyuk, because he has managed to invite a whooping thirty people to their supposed cosy gathering of perhaps a dozen, and apparently someone who is the friend of someone offered to take pictures for the party as photography practice.

So everything’s more or less settled, Minhyuk sorted out the catering and Hyungwon ensured that there are enough drinks to go around. Kihyun is in charge of the turkey ham and the Christmas pudding. They even have small gifts for their guests under the tree.

It’s just a simple Christmas ornament, but Minhyuk handpicked out every single one of them, and it’s precious.

(Hyungwon remembers having the strongest urge to just cuddle Minhyuk to death when he had picked out the ornaments so carefully, checking for marks and stains on the seemingly insignificant gifts.)

He calls back to Gwangju and wishes his parents a Merry Christmas, even though they don’t celebrate it back home, and they tell him to stay warm and to take care of himself.

He promises to do exactly that and hangs up. The rest of the night is spent humouring Minhyuk as the blonde climbs onto high places to hang pieces of tinsel in dark musty corners.

He could never put out the enthusiasm in Minhyuk, and he would never want to, either. He just holds the ladder steady for him as he steps onto it precariously, never once dissuading him from climbing up and putting decorations in places where people cannot see them.

*****

The party starts off slow. Hyungwon is almost worried that no one would turn up, and allows himself to overthink. What if no one appears? Minhyuk would be really disappointed and would sulk for days. What happens to Kihyun’s turkey ham? How will they be able to finish it? Will fruit punch spoil if made and then kept in the fridge until whenever Hyungwon can finish it off?

He almost considers calling Changkyun to ask him where he is when the first guests arrive. Apparently it’s Minhyuk’s friends, who Hyungwon greets politely before ducking into the kitchen where Kihyun is.

“Someone’s here?” Kihyun asks as he checks on the ham, and Hyungwon nods. “Minhyuk’s friends. Socialising is so difficult. Why can’t I just be more outgoing like Minhyuk? Or you. Even you. You get along well with people. I’m just… awkward.”

Kihyun chuckles. “You’ll do just fine. You just have a knack for the melodramatic. It’ll be okay, Chae.”

And Hyungwon really does try to believe him when he steps out of the kitchen and realises that more people have arrived. They’re mostly Minhyuk’s friends, as is expected, so he’s really glad to see Changkyun at the door with his girlfriend in tow.

He introduces them both and invites them in, offering them a seat by the table right in front of the turkey ham.

Soon, Kihyun’s friend Jooheon and his friend Hyunwoo show up. Jooheon looks way too cool to actually be Kihyun’s friend. Hyungwon voices this opinion, and Kihyun steps on his toes in petty revenge.

The place is quickly bustling with a crowd, and Hyungwon has to fold himself into half to squeeze through the sea of humans.

Everyone seems happy with the food, the selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and even the adorable door gift that no one was expecting. He does find, however, a lot of other presents appearing under the tree, and thinks that this party was ultimately Minhyuk’s way of getting more Christmas presents from his friends.

He’s so busy just attending to the guests that he loses track of his own friends. He finally finds Changkyun after much trouble, who says that he needs to go and get some last-minute shopping done. Hyungwon thanks him for coming and puts Changkyun’s Christmas present for him under the tree.

He sees Kihyun and Minhyuk in the distance, and struggles to get to them, if anything just to get a breather. People are already slow dancing in his living room, and Hyungwon needs a time-out.

“Kihyun! Minhyuk!” He calls for them in eagerness, and he thinks he sees Kihyun turning around to look at him in what can only be surprise. The two men quickly shuffle away from him and towards the doorway, and Hyungwon can barely breathe as he asks for people to part ways for him.

He finally finds the both of them talking in hushed whispers between each other, and he doesn’t know what to think. The first thought that goes through his mind is rejection, and he starkly remembers the look of bewilderment on Kihyun’s face, like he hadn’t expected Hyungwon’s presence. Maybe they were sharing a secret he wasn’t allowed to know.

He doesn’t know if he should be approach them at all when Minhyuk gestures to him with a wave of his hand. He walks over anyway, disappointment in his gut.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Minhyuk looks and sounds breathless, and Hyungwon finds glee in knowing that he’s not the only one dying in this crowd of a party.

“What are you two doing here?” Hyungwon asks, treading carefully with his questions, observing their facial expressions cautiously.

“Talking about how successful this party is, and wondering if Kihyun should also roast that chicken he has in the fridge.”

Minhyuk is either a professional liar or he’s saying the truth, because Hyungwon believes him wholeheartedly, and the disappointment disappears for a little bit.

Kihyun and Minhyuk are somehow still discussing the topic of the roast chicken, and Hyungwon is tuning out of their conversation when Minhyuk says a single sentence that seems to barely fit in with the subject matter.

“Hey, look, missed a toe.”

Hyungwon’s first instinct is to look at own feet, and then realising that all his toes are intact, he remembers Minhyuk’s horrible joke. Oh fucking no.

There it is, mistletoe, right above the three of them, and Hyungwon turns to look at Kihyun, and then Minhyuk, who have now taken their places on both of his sides.

The party photographer has somehow appeared in front of them, and with a ‘say cheese!’, Hyungwon feels the softness of two pairs of lips on his cheeks.

*****

To say that Hyungwon spent the rest of the party freaking out is an understatement. After the kiss, it had just been a few seconds of pure shock, Hyungwon frozen in his place, and then a mad dash for the ensuite bathroom.

He locks himself in there for the longest time possible, splashing water onto his face, touching where their lips had last come into contact with his skin. He trembles. It’s overwhelming, not that he didn’t like it, but it feels like all his emotions for the both of them have come gushing out in tsunami waves after a simple peck.

Bracing himself for the awkwardness that’s sure to ensue, Hyungwon convinces himself to just play it cool. Surely it must be a prank, nothing more than that, and Hyungwon just has to remember to be casual, definitely _not_ profess his undying love to either of them. Or worse, both of them.

After a very intense knock on the bathroom door by a guest who’s had a little too much to drink, he ducks out of the place only to find that most of the party is gone.

There are probably only about three more people left, two waiting for the lady in the bathroom, the third already stepping into his shoes.

Kihyun and Minhyuk are nowhere to be found. He sends the last of the guests away, and shuffles around the empty apartment in search for the both of them. Honestly, he could use without seeing them right now, but he should probably just get it over and done with.

He finds them on the balcony with two hot drinks in their hands, a scarf shared between them. Kihyun has his arm thrown around Minhyuk’s shoulder as they’re pressed tightly next to each other, and Hyungwon feels rejection bubbling up again.

“Hey, Hyungwon.” At least Kihyun has the audacity to look embarrassed. He shrugs and stands next to the couple bundled up in thick coats and each other’s warmth.

Minhyuk is the first to broach the topic. “I’m sorry we freaked you out just now, we didn’t mean for it to be difficult for you.” He edges closer to Kihyun as the black-haired man holds him flush against his side, and Hyungwon feels a rift between him and the both of them.

His stomach is doing weird flips, and he wonders why he’s been such an idiot the whole time. That’s why Kihyun is so easy with Minhyuk. That’s why despite all the bickering Kihyun goes ahead to wipe sauce off Minhyuk’s lips.

Of course, that’s why. They like each other. And with them huddled in a little lump together, Hyungwon knows it for sure, and the green-eyed monster is clawing at his face. He feels a strong sense of distaste, mostly at Minhyuk, because he had liked Kihyun first, and Minhyuk had just come along and took him away with a snap of his fingers.

He wished he could say that he hates Minhyuk for that, but it would be silly to think that he had anything but affection for the blonde-haired man.

“Listen, we have something to tell you,” Minhyuk says in a tone that is quite different from his usual cheery voice, and Hyungwon knows it. Holds himself together as he prepares for their announcement of being an official couple.

They won’t even feel guilty, because Hyungwon hadn’t even dared to tell them about his feelings. All because he was so afraid.

“If this about the two of you being a couple and -- what?”

“We both really like you and each other and we want to -- what?”

Their responses are simultaneous, and Hyungwon thinks he’s heard Minhyuk wrongly,

“What?” he asks, his hands balling into fists by his sides, absolutely fearing what he’s about to hear. Minhyuk frowns, but repeats himself for the sake of it.

“We both really like you and each other, and we want to be in a relationship with you. Three of us. Together.”

Hyungwon is stunned, at a complete loss for words. He stands there with his mouth open wide. “We’ve broken him, Ki,” Minhyuk whispers.

“Hyungwon?” Kihyun is waving a hand in front of his face, and Hyungwon has to collect himself before he properly breaks down what Minhyuk is saying.

“Three of us. Relationship. Like a poly?”

Minhyuk’s eyes brighten. “Oh! So you know what it is!”

Hyungwon doesn’t know if he should take offence. “Fuck, of course I know what it is, I’ve spent the last few months being smitten with the both of you and wondering if I was just being weird by falling in love with two people at the same time.”

Kihyun breaks into an exulting smile that offers Hyungwon an impossible amount of consolation. He’s already stretching out his free arm that isn’t holding a mug of hot chocolate toward Hyungwon, and the tall brunette steps into his personal space easily.

Kihyun is warm, and his touch is gentle and soothing, just like his voice. Hyungwon sighs as Minhyuk giggles. “You’re not weird. Well, even if you are, that makes three of us.” Minhyuk says matter-of-factly, and Hyungwon eases into Kihyun’s hand on the small of his back, rubbing warm circles.

*****

They unwrap their presents. Minhyuk literally jumps into the air at the sight of the new game and goes over to hug Kihyun and Hyungwon so hard they can barely breathe. He notes the look of happiness in Kihyun’s eyes, and finally identifies it as love. He’s glad someone else appreciates Minhyuk the same way he does.

He inches closer to Kihyun and wraps his arm around his waist, the black-haired man looking up at him with glistening eyes, and in the shine of the colourful lights on the tree, Kihyun looks almost unearthly in a way Hyungwon could never imagine anyone to look.

He leans down and places a very soft kiss on the tip of his nose, and Kihyun beams so brightly his heart almost stops.

Minhyuk also screams at Hyungwon having bought him an Overwatch tee shirt, and pulls it over his bulky sweater to show off. Hyungwon chuckles as he looks pregnant with the layers of clothing, and Minhyuk bounces over to plant kisses on both their cheeks.

“Thank you. I love you both.” Minhyuk cheers as he opens his other dozens of presents, pleasantly surprised at some of them, a look of absolute disgust at some others.

Hyungwon just keeps his arm around Kihyun, laughing at all of Minhyuk’s lively expressions and his silly exclamations. Kihyun presses kisses along Hyungwon’s jaw from time to time, and every time Hyungwon’s grip on Kihyun’s sweater tightens.

God, what are they both doing to his heart?

Finally done with his gifts in a sea of wrapping paper, Minhyuk nudges for Kihyun to open up his gifts. Jooheon has bought him a recipe book filled with some interesting cakes and treats, and Minhyuk snatches it over to read first.

“Yeah, maybe you should pay close attention to the page where they teach you how to make cookies, Mr. Lee ‘Charred-Cookies’ Minhyuk.” Kihyun pokes fun at him, and Minhyuk wrestles him on the ground like a five-year-old. Hyungwon laughs to his fill before breaking their fight up, and they give each other cheek pecks to make up.

Hyungwon’s gotten Kihyun a new hard drive for the impossible amount of data he needs to store on his computer for work, while Minhyuk bought Kihyun a bubble bath set, and tells him it’s because he needs to relax more.

Kihyun tells him that he’s the main source of his stress, and Hyungwon has to pull them apart before they break into more bickering. It’s mostly amusing more than anything, and despite all that he’s said, Kihyun still kisses Hyungwon and Minhyuk on their foreheads as thanks.

Hyungwon unwraps his presents, and Changkyun’s gotten him a limited edition figurine that he really likes. He squeals in delight at the gift and reminds himself to send Changkyun a thank you message later.

Minhyuk and Kihyun look expectant as Hyungwon opens up his gift, and they’re holding hands in anticipation. How cute.

It’s a very tiny box, and Hyungwon opens it to find three pieces of paper in it. He frowns as he squints to read the words ‘cruise’, ‘islands’, ‘10 days 9 nights’.

His eyes widen, and then he’s looking at the both of them. “Wha --”

“You talked about wanting to go on a cruise some time in the future, maybe a few years down the road, and we thought, why not make it next year? It’s in April 2018, so there’s plenty of time for you to apply for leave and we can go --”

Minhyuk doesn’t finish his sentence because Hyungwon tackles his boyfriends into a hug, and really, he’s not usually such a sentimental person, but his emotions have gotten to him today, and as he cradles both of them in his hold, Hyungwon cries a little.

He’s just so happy it’s unfair. He’s never felt so happy in such a long time, and he didn’t know if he deserves it.

“There, there.” Kihyun pats him on his back as Minhyuk just lets Hyungwon hold him, and they rock back and forth for what seems to be forever.

*****

Minhyuk and Kihyun are stepping into their shoes, and Hyungwon feels like he’s seen this exact same scenario somewhere before.

They’re lingering by the doorway, almost like they don’t want to leave, and Hyungwon hovers around, like he’s waiting for something.

They’ve cleared out most of the mess in the flat and promised to come back to clean out the rest tomorrow. Hyungwon agrees, and sees them by the door.

“Tonight was fun,” Minhyuk says first, and Kihyun agrees by nodding. He’s retying his shoelaces even though they were fine to start with.

“Yeah, I thought so too. Maybe cut down on the guest number next time,” Hyungwon jokes, and Minhyuk’s eyes are glimmering.

“So there’ll be a next time?” He asks, and Hyungwon groans. They laugh.

Minhyuk is standing there, looking nervous, very much unlike himself, and Hyungwon is chuckling in shyness. Minhyuk just stares at him with the ends of his lips pulled up, and then, as if he’s had this all planned out, he points to the plant above them.

“Hey, look, mistletoe.” And he steps forward to cup Hyungwon’s face in his hands before kissing him on the lips.

Hyungwon slips his tongue into Minhyuk’s mouth, and he tastes like chocolate and a tinge of alcohol somewhere, but his face isn’t red, and he doesn’t look flustered, which means he knows exactly what he’s doing.

Moving his hands to the small of his back, Hyungwon deepens the kiss, and Minhyuk whines against his mouth. It’s soft and supple, and Hyungwon thinks he could kiss him until the end of time, but of course it ends when Minhyuk pulls back with red lips, and a grin on his face.

Kihyun steps forward when Minhyuk backs down, and without even bothering with the mistletoe, Kihyun kisses him with the intensity of a kiss long overdue, and Hyungwon is knocked back from how powerful it is.

Kihyun also tastes like chocolate, but there is a hint of peppermint on him. His tongue wraps around Hyungwon’s expertly, and Hyungwon rests his hands behind his head, holding him in place, holding him close.

Hyungwon bites down on his lower lip, and Kihyun makes a low growling sound stemming from his throat. Hyungwon sighs into the kiss when they pull away, a thread of saliva between their lips breaking.

All three of them take a few more moments to breathe properly, and then Minhyuk’s hand is on the doorknob, twisting it open. They turn around to say bye to him, cheeks still pink from the kiss, and Hyungwon doesn’t let his mind think it through before he pounces forward and holds both their wrists in his hands.

He pulls them back into his apartment, and the door clicks shut behind them, laughter reverberating through the apartment as Hyungwon swears to never let his boyfriends go.

**Author's Note:**

> just wanted to point out that i was the one who came up with the missed a toe joke all by my own and i am very proud of myself for it. please tell me if it was funny. i also liked the bit where kihyun compared minhyuk's cookies to santa's coal. someone's apparently a naughty boy.  
> it's christmas where i am right now, so merry christmas to all of you reading this! thank you for reading and liking my content, and there'll be more in store in 2018! 
> 
> it's christmas so i'm staying on my kihyunghyuk branding. all i want for christmas is more fics in the kihyunghyuk tag, thank you.  
> twitter: @kihyunghyuks


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